03/10 KT18/19ents DPS SR (Page 1 - 2) · spooked by Antony and the Johnsons’ haunting 2005...
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informer review MUSIC with Helen Clarke THEY say time flies by – and if anything is proof of that it’s this debut single by Brighton’s The Rivers. This is a band who grew up listening to Razorlight and sound like an impressive tribute band. Luckily for them, Razorlight grew up listening to the Strokes and the Hives, and Love Or Whatever is a good, old- fashioned rock ’n’ roll song. Jaunty, bloke guitar pop about lusting after a girl, it’s radio-friendly fun that should propel them from open mic nights to the top 10. The nation’s favourite brit-rockers in waiting. The Rivers Love Or Whatever NoCarbon Records Download Single October 6 ★★★✩✩ IT’S BEEN a long wait for those still spooked by Antony and the Johnsons’ haunting 2005 breakthrough, I Am A Bird Now. To plug the gap between next year’s third album, Antony Hegarty lent his voice to tracks by Bjork, Hercules and the Love Affair, and film soundtracks galore – and now this EP is set to whet fans’ appetites in time for the big release. Just one listen to the title track will remind fans of what they’ve been missing. It’s stark and lonely – just Hegarty’s distinctive vocal accompanied by thick, velvety piano. He sounds constantly on the verge of tears and his sadness is infectious. His is a voice that deserves indulging – he doesn’t need or want big instrumentals, instead choosing subtle strings, and echoes of Nico to create a creeping, gothic cabaret. The remaining four tracks don’t quite reach the heights of the opener, but it’s a great reintroduction to one of the most unique voices in pop today. El Guincho Alegranza Young Turks Album October 6 ★★★✩✩ VAMPIRE Weekend may be the Afro- pop darlings of the moment, but El Guincho – aka Pablo Diaz-Reixa – looks set to steal their crown. Not satisfied with steel drums and African rhythms, he’s also packed in the sounds of Brazil, Spain and Bollywood to create the global village sound Dee-Lite only dreamed of. Repetative, hypnotic beats and samples, he plays into the hands of the trend for retro synth fetishism. A psychadellic, sunshine record that will have you packing your suitcase and heading for the airport. Antony and the Johnsons Another World Rough Trade EP October 6 ★★★★✩ WHAT’S ON IN YOUR AREA? www.londoninformer.co.uk @ ✉ ✍ “I’M NOT that sort of person,” Alex Musson said to his friend Steve as they sat down at the Comedy Club, seven years ago. “I’m too old,” he continued. “It scares the living daylights out of me!” he pleaded. But his good friend Steve didn’t flinch. Both regulars of the comedy circuit, Steve knew that Alex would be better off on stage than in the stalls. The deadline for Alex’s first try at stand-up was set for his 29th birthday. “We found a seven-minute slot at the Laughing Horse comedy club in Camden and I had a month to prepare,” Alex says. “Steve was the only person I told. It was really scary. The only thing I can compare it to is losing my virginity – baffling at the time, but afterwards it feels great.” Steve was proven right. The MC loved the slot, Alex was asked back, and for the next two years – to his surprise – he toured the country, gigging three or four nights a week. Despite the success, Alex says: “That’s how I discovered I was happier behind the typewriter.” Before his stint in stand-up, Alex was already writing, photocopying and distributing a little black and white comedy pamphlet called Mustard magazine. It was just a hobby and only a few hundred copies an issue were made. But last January, at 35, Alex has had another “now or never” moment and 10,000 full colour copies of Mustard went into circulation. Peep Show writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong now feature on the cover of the third issue, with Michael Palin and Graham Linehan (The IT Crowd, Father Ted) before them. The king of comic book writers, Alan Moore (Watchmen), is also a fan and past interviewee, describing Mustard as Britain’s answer to the Onion, America’s top comedy mag. Similarly full of spoof news, funny fea- tures, cartoons and comic strips, the populari- ty of Mustard is spreading like a cold at Christmas. Check out www.mustardweb.org for news, back copies and the mailing list. ● Best place for hard copies: Gosh Comics, 39 Great Russell St. Open daily 10am-6pm, Thurs/Fri until 7pm. Call 020 7636 1011. Email [email protected] Christian McLaughlin INTERVIEW ALEX MUSSON, MUSTARD MAGAZINE MUSTARD HQ: Comedian turned magazine creator Alex Musson in the office (above); and (below) the covers of Mustard comedy magazine, now in circulation NEW MAG CUTS THE MUSTARD THE ONLY THING I CAN COMPARE STAND-UP TO IS LOSING MY VIRGINITY – BAFFLING AT THE TIME, BUT AFTERWARDS IT FEELS GREAT’
Transcript of 03/10 KT18/19ents DPS SR (Page 1 - 2) · spooked by Antony and the Johnsons’ haunting 2005...
info
rmer
revi
ewMUSICwith Helen Clarke
THEY say time flies by – and ifanything is proof of that it’s this debutsingle by Brighton’s The Rivers.
This is a band who grew uplistening to Razorlight and sound likean impressive tribute band.
Luckily for them, Razorlight grew uplistening to the Strokes and the Hives,and Love Or Whatever is a good, old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll song.
Jaunty, bloke guitar pop aboutlusting after a girl, it’s radio-friendlyfun that should propel them fromopen mic nights to the top 10.
The nation’s favourite brit-rockers in waiting.
The RiversLove Or WhateverNoCarbon RecordsDownload SingleOctober 6★★★✩✩
IT’S BEEN a long wait for those stillspooked by Antony and theJohnsons’ haunting 2005breakthrough, I Am A Bird Now.
To plug the gap between next year’sthird album, Antony Hegarty lent hisvoice to tracks by Bjork, Hercules andthe Love Affair, and film soundtracksgalore – and now this EP is set towhet fans’ appetites in time for the big release.
Just one listen to the title track willremind fans of what they’ve beenmissing. It’s stark and lonely – justHegarty’s distinctive vocalaccompanied by thick, velvety piano.He sounds constantly on the verge oftears and his sadness is infectious.
His is a voice that deservesindulging – he doesn’t need or wantbig instrumentals, instead choosingsubtle strings, and echoes of Nico tocreate a creeping, gothic cabaret.
The remaining four tracks don’t quite reach the heights of theopener, but it’s a great reintroductionto one of the most unique voices inpop today.
El GuinchoAlegranzaYoung TurksAlbumOctober 6★★★✩✩
VAMPIRE Weekend may be the Afro-pop darlings of the moment, but ElGuincho – aka Pablo Diaz-Reixa –looks set to steal their crown.
Not satisfied with steel drums andAfrican rhythms, he’s also packed inthe sounds of Brazil, Spain andBollywood to create the global villagesound Dee-Lite only dreamed of.
Repetative, hypnotic beats andsamples, he plays into the hands of the trend for retro synth fetishism.
A psychadellic, sunshine recordthat will have you packing yoursuitcase and heading for the airport.
Antony and the JohnsonsAnother WorldRough TradeEPOctober 6★★★★✩
THINGS are never quite whatthey seem when it comes tocomedic theatre groupPeepolykus.
Take their name, for a start.Sounds like an ancient Greekgod. But visit their website andyou discover it’s one of theirfunny tricks – their name shouldbe pronounced “people-like-us”.
Thentake their
latest show,which begins
today at the Lyric theatre’s main stage.
Its official title,The Importanceof BeingEarnest, issimilarly misleading.Under theguise of anOscar Wildeperiod drama,this play is inactual fact thestory of Spyski– a parallel plot-line where themurder of a high-profile Russiandissident is
discovered. Five actors play
both sets of charac-ters – and a few morebeside – in a MissionImpossible-style farce.
Having sat in on arehearsal, I can safelysay that it’s far lessconfusing than it
sounds, and even funnier thanexpected.
Peepolykus founders JohnNicholson, Javier Marzan andDavid Sant have been staging allkinds of outlandish performancesduring their 12-year history, frompyrotechnics to mime. But come-dies such as last year’s West Endhit The Hound of the Baskervillespropelled their reputation into themainstream.
Spyski, as we’ll call it for now, ispenned by the same writing teamof John Nicholson and StevenCanny (of feted theatre companyComplicite – see overleaf) andcontinues to make you wish youhad discovered them earlier.
This is also director David Farr’slast show as artistic director ofthe Lyric. After a stunning threeyears at the helm, Spyski will bethe perfect antidote to the twingeof sadness. Come crease up withlaughter and cherish the send off.
To see rehearsal footage and aninterview with John and Javier ofPeepolykus head to www.londoninformer.co.uk
● The Importance of Being Earnest(Spyski), by Peepolykus is at theLyric Theatre, Lyric Square,Hammersmith until November 1.£10-27. 7.30pm. Call 0871 22117 22. See www.lyric.co.uk andwww.peepolykus.com
WHAT’S ON IN YOUR AREA?
www.londoninformer.co.uk
@ ✉ ✍
“I’M NOT that sort of person,” Alex Mussonsaid to his friend Steve as they sat down at theComedy Club, seven years ago.
“I’m too old,” he continued. “It scares theliving daylights out of me!” he pleaded. Buthis good friend Steve didn’t flinch.
Both regulars of the comedy circuit, Steveknew that Alex would be better off on stagethan in the stalls.
The deadline for Alex’s first try at stand-upwas set for his 29th birthday. “We found aseven-minute slot at the Laughing Horsecomedy club in Camden and I had a month toprepare,” Alex says.
“Steve was the only person I told. It wasreally scary. The only thing I can compare itto is losing my virginity – baffling at thetime, but afterwards it feels great.”
Steve was proven right. The MC loved the slot, Alex was asked back, and for thenext two years – to his surprise – he touredthe country, gigging three or four nights a week. Despite the success, Alex says:“That’s how I discovered I was happier behind the typewriter.”
Before his stint in stand-up, Alex wasalready writing, photocopying and distributinga little black and white comedy pamphletcalled Mustard magazine.
It was just a hobby and only a few hundredcopies an issue were made. But last January,at 35, Alex has had another “now or never”moment and 10,000 full colour copies ofMustard went into circulation.
Peep Show writers Sam Bain and JesseArmstrong now feature on the cover of thethird issue, with Michael Palin and Graham Linehan (The IT Crowd, Father Ted)before them.
The king of comic book writers, AlanMoore (Watchmen), is also a fan and pastinterviewee, describing Mustard as Britain’sanswer to the Onion, America’s top comedymag. Similarly full of spoof news, funny fea-tures, cartoons and comic strips, the populari-ty of Mustard is spreading like a cold atChristmas. Check out www.mustardweb.orgfor news, back copies and the mailing list.
● Best place for hard copies: Gosh Comics, 39 Great Russell St. Opendaily 10am-6pm, Thurs/Fri until 7pm. Call020 7636 1011. Email [email protected]
Christian McLaughlin
INTERVIEWALEX MUSSON,MUSTARD MAGAZINE
PREVIEWTHE IMPORTANCE OF BEINGEARNEST, BY PEEPOLYKUSLYRIC THEATRE
MUSTARD HQ: Comedian turned magazine creator Alex Mussonin the office (above); and (below) the covers of Mustard comedymagazine, now in circulation
NEW MAG CUTSTHE MUSTARD
CHRISTIAN MCLAUGHLIN
SITS IN ON A REHEARSAL
FOR A NEW COMEDIC
PLAY AT THE LYRIC,
AND DISCOVERS ALL
IS NOT ALWAYS ASIT SEEMS...
STAGING SURPRISE
THE ONLY THING I CANCOMPARE STAND-UP TO IS
LOSING MY VIRGINITY –BAFFLING AT THE TIME, BUT
AFTERWARDS IT FEELS GREAT’REHEARSALS: John (above) and (top) Rhona, Javier andRichard in scenes from the farce Pictures by Christian McLaughlin
THE USUAL SUSPECTS: (From left) Starring in The Importance of Being Earnest are Javier Marzan, John Nicholson, Rhona Croker, Richard Katz and Sophie RussellPictures by Christian McLaughlin
LISTEN CAREFULLY:Javier and John incostume for the play
Picture submitted
